The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 12:38-42
Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
He said to them in reply,
“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,
but no sign will be given it
except the sign of Jonah the prophet.
Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights,
so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth
three days and three nights.
At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;
and there is something greater than Jonah here.
At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation
and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth
to hear the wisdom of Solomon;
and there is something greater than Solomon here.”
Reflection: How many of us go to church seeking some type of sign from God? How often do we tell God that we will believe or trust Him if He just answers our prayers exactly how we want? Or … how many of us have prayed to God for something and said that you would give up (BLANK). And yet, with our crazy lives, we miss so many signs (Blessings) that he places around us all the time. We fail to focus on the present moment of sacramental grace. We worry about other things.
Rather than entertaining their demands, Jesus points them to the “sign of the prophet Jonah”. Just as Jonah was swallowed by the sea monster and emerged three days later, the Son of Man would enter the heart of the earth and rise on the third day. The Cross and the Resurrection are the ultimate, undeniable signs of God’s love and power. Therefore, we already have a sign and there is no need for a new sign from God; we already have the empty tomb and the symbol of the Crucifix. So, how much more do we want?
In the website Sacred Space, it states the following: “When Jonah reluctantly preached to the brutal and pagan city of Nineveh, they repented instantly. They had no miracles, and they had a reluctant prophet. Yet, as Jesus reminds His audience, “something greater than Jonah is here.” Similarly, the Queen of Sheba traveled hundreds of miles on a dangerous journey just to sit at the feet of Solomon and soak in his God-given wisdom. Jesus proclaims, “and indeed something greater than Solomon is here.”
Sisters and Brothers, here is the bottom line, the Prophets and Pharisees were blinded by jealousy (maybe Hate) and failed to see that the Son of God was right before them. In fact, they witnessed some of his miracles and heard some of his parables but the refused to believe. Let us pray for the grace to recognize the blessings already surrounding us, and the humility to repent and seek God’s will without demanding further proof.
Action of the Day: Take time to focus on ow can you cultivate a deeper openness to God’s Word in your everyday life.
Audio Reflection:
